Thrashing-machine



4 sheetss;

(No Model.)

Wis. MILLER. THRASHING MACHINE.

latent'ed Jan. 13

witnesses {No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. S. MILLER. THRASHING MACHINE.

No. 511,786. Patented Jan. 2, 1894.

Wm/Lama vwemtoz (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3v W. SJMILLER. THRASHING MACHINE.

No. 511,786. Patented Jan. 2,1894.

(NO Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet; 4.

s. MILLER. THRASHING MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 2, 1894;

WILLIAM S. MILLER, OF MEYERSDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

THRASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,786, dated January 2, 1894.

Application filed January 11, 1893. Serial No. 458,086- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern-- Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meyersdale, in the county of Somerset and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thrashing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in thrashing machines and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and definitely pointed out in the claims.

The aim and purpose of the invention is to provide a thrashing machine with improved means for accelerating and perfecting its working, simplifying the internal structural arrangements, and in the provision of improved dust collecting means for collecting the dust from the straw, chaff and grain, as the sameis being passed through the machine. These objects are accomplished by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the machine on the line 3 3 of Fig. 3. Fig.- Sis a top plan view of the machine with the cover removed showing the dust collector with its cover in place. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the machine taken on the line :0, 0c, of Fig. 2, looking toward the rear, and Fig. 5 is a similar section taken on the line y, y, of Fig. 2, showing a portion of the rear shakers removed.

In the drawings A is the frame; 13 B the cylinder and concave located in the housing B at the forward end of the machine, the same being by preference, narrower than the frame. The frame A is composed of the usual girders, sills and posts which support and carry the walls of the machine. Themanner of mounting the machine on the wheels, may be of any of the usual forms, which are found desirable and expedient.

Within the machine directly in the rear of the cylinder and with their forward ends slightly below the same are the front shakers 0 consisting of a series of stepped barschaving perforated bottoms or connecting webs c. There are five pairs of shakers which extend entirely across the interior of the machine, theirforward ends being mounted on thecrank shaft C which has its cranks arranged alternately up and down so that the alternate shakers will be likewise up and down orin the opposite extremityas the shaft is revolved. The

forward ends of the shakers are mounted re-- lar to the shakers 0. These shakers are arranged with their forward ends mounted on the crank shaft D directly below the rear ends of the forward shakers, and their rear ends are mounted on Ts pivoted on a cross bar at the rear of' the machine, on a plane slightly above the plane of the bar 0 At the front of the machine directly in the rear of the cylinder and above the forward ends of the forward shakers, is arranged a series of curved spreading fingersE. These fingers are curved downward, and extend inward, their ends being independently mounted on a cross shaft e extending across the machine. The shaft 6 passes through the fingers at a point a short distance from their upper ends thereby leaving the extensions 6' which engage the under side of an adjustable cross bar E which serves to normally hold the fingers in their proper position relative to the shakers. The bar E is held in place and permitted adjustment by the bolts 6 which pass through slots e in the bar A of the frame. The curved ends of the fingers project downward to a point in proximity to the shakers and serve to spread the straw on the shakers as well as to carry or guide the straw directly down on to the forward ends of the shakers. By pivoting the fingers independently any secured to the sidesof the machine.

bunches of straw may be acted on by the individual fingers with which it contacts leaving the remaining fingers in their proper working position, and further the up and down movement of the shakers tend to lift only the fingers thereabove, it being understood that the strawon the shakers engages the ends of the fingers. In addition to the function of evening, the fingers also prevent any retrograde movement of accumulated straw on the shakers. In making the fingers adjustable the same may be regulated or adjusted to suit different kinds or conditions of straw. Located at the rear of the forward shakers, directly in front of the discharge ends thereof and above the forward ends of the rear shakers is what I term a picker. It consists of a rotary drum F mounted on a suitable shaft journaled in the sides of the machine. On this-drum is mounted a series of curved prongs or picker teeth inclining or curving rearwardly from the direction of their rotation, the same moving in the direction indicated by thearrow, Fig. 2.

F is a metallic shield curved partly around in the front of picker, having its ends rigidly This shield is formed with a series of slots f through which the prongs pass during part of their rotation. By this means in connection with the curving of the prongs the straw is prevented from being carried completely around by the prongs, and from being wrapped thereon, and the straw is discharged directly onto the forward end of the rear shakers. The action of the picker on the straw leaving the forward shakers is to thoroughly separate the same, and force it onto the forward ends of the lower shakers, thereby preventing the straw from being forced too rapidly through the machine but presenting the same to the shakers in a manner to cause a perfect separation.

G represents the grain bottom mounted on a cross support 9 at its forward end and havingthepitman G connected therewiththrough the bar g secured to the under side of the bottom. The pitman or link G is actuated by a suitable crank g and serves to reciprocate the grain bottom. The rear end of the grain bottom is supported on a swinging frame H, consisting of two vertical end bars and a top and central cross rod h, h. The side bars of the frame II are pivotally secured at their lower ends by bolts 71 to the sides of the machine so that the frame H may swing back and forth. The grain bottom is pivotally supported on the top cross bar h of frame H and as the bottom reciprocates the frame H is rocked.

K is the sieve shoe of any desired form and construction, having at its forward end the arms 7.". which are hooked over the central cross rod h of the frame H. Its rear end is supported on a swinging bail L. This bail consists of two end bars and an upper and lower cross bar Z, Z on the lower one of which the shoe is supported. The bail L is pivoted to the sides by pivots L located a short distance below the center of the side bars.

M represents the delivery spout and M the tailings spout in which suitable con veyers may be placed.

Below the rearshakers and above the screws is the return board N, having its forward end projecting above the grain bottom and its rear end carried up at an incline and supported on hooks n pivotally supported on pins secured in the sides of the machines. This board is held in position and vibrated by being pivotally secured at or near its center to the top cross bar Z of the bail L. p

O is the winnower' or fan located in the usual position and which may be provided with the customary or any desirable regulating slides. The discharge spout of the fan leads to a point to direct the blast directly onto the falling material from the grain bottom and onto the sieves. The direction of the blast may be slightly altered by changing the inclination of the lower wind board 0 which is hinged at a and has an adjustable connection at its rear end such as the slotted plate 0 and the bolt 0 which permits the rear end to be raised or lowered and there held in place.

In the operation of the above described parts the straw is carried and spread out on the forward shakers from whence it is discharged onto the rear shakers, the grain passing off the end of the shakers and through the perforated connecting webs, onto the grain bottom and return board. As the grain bottom is vibrated the frame H is rocked which rocks the shoe K in the direction of the grain bottom. The movement of 'the shoe rocks the bail L, which imparts a reciprocating movement to the return board N the same moving in a direction opposite that of the grain bottom, that is to say as the grain bottom is forced back the return board is forced forward causing the grain thereon to fall on the bottom at the proper point. The grain falls onto the sieves and is discharged into the spout M, in the usual manner.

In connection with the. machine I employ a collector for the dust, of the following description: P, is a fan casing located at the top of the machine a short distance back from the cylinder. This casing occupies a position centrally between the sides of the machine and has the fans P therein mounted on the shaft P extending to the outwhich may be extended to any desirable point I for discharging the dust. In machines of this nature it is desirable to prevent the circulation of the dust, within the same. I have therefore provided means for collecting the dust at points directly above and in close proximity to the moving grain and straw, which in the former instance consists in placing a transverse inverted trough R, at the bottom of the interior of the machine, directly above the grain bottom. This trough is formed with a vertical rear wall, on the lower edge of which is placed a flexible apron r reaching down to a point near the grain on the bottom. The opposite or forward wall is inclined forward its edge being some distance above the grain' on the bottom. At the ends of this troughin the sides of the machine are formed openings s from which conduit pipes S lead, which pass up on the outside and again enter the machine at the box and discharges into the fan casing through suitable openings therein. By this means a suction is created below the shakers and from the front and at or near the grain bottom thereby taking the dust from this point and conveying it out of the machine. The apron on the trough prevents back suction, or in other words the suction is always from the cylinder to the trough. On opposite sides of the suction box, or box like projection are swinging deflectors T, T. The former is suspended from the top of the machine and acts as a deflector for flying straw or chaff carrying the same onto the shakers below. This apron extends down to a point near the shakers and forms an extension of the suction box, while the aprons '1" act as an extension of the box at the rear. Both of these aprons have their lower edges arranged about the same distance above the shakers, there being aspace between sufficient to permit the passage of the straw, and owing to their pivotal mounting will swing to permit any bunch to pass up the shakers. By this means the dust is drawn from the cavity back of the cylinder and from the moving straw, as the fan takes the dust from the suction chamber which is formed in part by the aprons.

It is evident that the arrangement of the dust collector and its adjuncts may be utilized irrespective of the peculiar formation of machine, and I am aware that many minor changes in the construction and arrangement of parts can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a thrashing machine, the combination with a casing and cylinder, of a series of shakers and a series of independently movable curved fingers arranged in the rear of and adjacent to the cylinder above the shale ers, substantialy as described.

2. In a thrashing machine, the combination with a casing and cylinder, of a series of separated shakers within the forward part of the casing, and a series of independently movable spreading fingers pivotally supported at their forward ends adjacent to the cylinder their inner ends curving downward to points adjacent to the shakers, substantially as described.

3. In a thrashing machine, the combination with the casing and cylinder, of a series of vertically movable shakers in the casing, a series of independently movable spreading fingers pivotally supported in the casing immediately back of the cylinder and formed with downwardly curved inner ends normally located adjacent to the shakers, and means for vertically adjusting the fingers substantially as described.

4. In a thrashing machine, the combination with the casing, and cylinder, of a series of shakers within the casing, a series of independently movable spreading fingers above the shakers, a rod passing through the for ward portion of the fingers, and means for adjusting the normal position of the fingers, substantially as described.

5. In a thrashing machine, the combination with the frame, of a suction box formed at or near the top thereof, a fan casing arranged centrally within the box, having a rectangular mouth a fan in the casing and an adjustable nozzle for the fan casing having a rectangular connecting edge removably fitting on the mouth of the casing substantially as described.

6. In a thrashing machine the combination with the machine casingyof a suction box at or near the top thereof, a fan casing within the box, a discharge nozzle for the fan casing, a fan, and hinged extension at the front and rear of the box depending into the machine on different planes, substantially as described.

7. In a thrashing machine, the combina described.

8. In a thrashing machine, the combination with the casing, of a dust collector at or near the top thereof, a grain bottom a channel leading from a point near the grain. bottom into the collector, and a collecting trough extending across the bottom substantially as described.

9. In a thrashing machine, the combination with the casing, of a dust collector at or near the top thereof, a grain bottom, conduits leading from points adjacent the bottom into the collector and a suction compartment located directly above extending laterally across and in close proximity to the bottom and above the conduit openings, substantially as described.

10. In a thrashing machine, the combination with the casing and shakers, of a dust collector thereon and two or more separate and independent suction conduits leading directly from points above and below the shakers, substantially as described.

11. In a thrashing machine, the combination with the casing, of a dust collector thereon a grain bottom, an inverted trough near and extending across the bottom, a flexible extension on the rear edge of the trough and one or more conduits leading from the trough into the collector, substantially as described.

12. In a thrashing machine, the combination with the casing, of a dust collector thereon, a dust collecting chamber located at the bottom of the casing, and extending laterally across the same, a dust collecting chamber located near the top of the machine, and independeut'conduits leading from the lower chamber into the collector substantially as described.

13. In a thrashing machine, the co nbina tion with the grain bottom, of an inverted trough arranged slightly above the same, hav-- \VILLIAM S. MILLER.

Vitnesses:

DAVID A. FRIEDLINE, WILLIAM H. LANDIs. 

